Flexible hydrophilic articles especially sponges, having a residual antimicrobial effect

Abstract

Flexible articles especially hydrophilic sponges featuring long-lasting residual antimicrobial benefits, contain a carrier mass having dispersed within an effective amount of an biocidal composition such as a preservative. Process for the production of such flexible hydrophilic articles are also disclosed.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A flexible wiping article into which after the flexible wiping article has been made is placed an organic material which exhibits an aqueous dissolution rate of less than about 5% wt. into 100 g of water (approx 20° C.) per 24 hours as a carrier mass, said carrier mass dispersed within itself an effective amount of one or more biocides by injection, impregnation, or molded form selected from the group consisting of pellets, rings, plates, rods, flexible sheet, flexible plate, and tubes so as to provide the flexible wiping article with a residual antimicrobial benefit. 
     
     
       2. A flexible wiping article according to claim  1 , wherein the said wiping article is a sponge. 
     
     
       3. A flexible wiping article according to claim  1  wherein: the carrier mass is selected from the group consisting of: one or more synthetic waxes, microcrystalline waxes, ozokerite-ceresin, petroleum waxes, montan wax, mineral waxes, animal waxes, natural waxes, vegetable waxes, surfactant compositions based on block copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, ethoxylated alcohols, and alkanolamides. 
     
     
       4. A flexible wiping article according to claim  1  wherein: the biocidal composition is present in the article in an amount of from 0.005-0.10 grams per gram of the wiping article on a dry weight basis. 
     
     
       5. A process for providing long-lasting residual antimicrobial benefit to a flexible hydrophilic article, which comprises the steps of: 
       making a flexible hydrophilic article;  
       fludifying a carrier mass is selected from the group consisting of one or more synthetic waxes, microcrystalline waxes, ozokerite-ceresin, petroleum waxes, montan wax, mineral waxes, animal waxes, natural waxes, vegetable waxes, surfactant compositions based on block copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, ethoxylated alcohols, and alkanolamides which exhibit an aqueous dissolution rate of less than about 5% wt. into 100 g of water (approx 20° C.) per 24 hours;  
       dispersing within said fluidified water soluble carrier mass at least one biocidal composition;  
       subsequently providing to flexible hydrophilic article the water soluble carrier mass containing the dispersed biocidal composition in a sufficient amount in order to provide an effective dosage of the biocidal composition to the article so as to provide the flexible hydrophilic article with a residual antimicrobial benefit.  
     
     
       6. A process for providing long-lasting residual antimicrobial benefit to a flexible hydrophilic article according to claim  5  which further comprises the process steps of: 
       providing the carrier mass containing the biocidal composition into the interior of the flexible hydrophilic article; and  
       solidifying the carrier mass.  
     
     
       7. A process for providing a residual antimicrobial benefit to a flexible hydrophilic article which comprises the process steps of: 
       making a flexible hydrophilic article;  
       fluidifying as a carrier mass of low aqueous solubility an organic material which exhibits an aqueous dissolution rate of less than about 5% wt. into 100 g of water (approx 20° C.) per 24 hours;  
       dispersing within the fluidified carrier mass a biocidal composition;  
       forming the carrier mass and dispersion of biocidal composition into a formed article selected from the group consisting of pellets, rings, plates, rods, flexible sheet, flexible plate, and tubes by cooling; and  
       inserting the formed article into the interior of the flexible hydrophilic article.  
     
     
       8. A flexible wiping article according to claim  1  wherein the flexible wiping article is a sponge having two or more layers, which contains between the layers the molded article.